


Take Me Higher

by nottheonlyone



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Rimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-17
Updated: 2015-09-17
Packaged: 2018-04-19 05:03:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4733714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nottheonlyone/pseuds/nottheonlyone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Let’s go out tonight. I promise it’ll be fine. No shit shows. Scout’s honor!”</p><p>Niall Horan is an absolute liar. Zayn Malik can testify to that.</p><p> </p><p>Or the one where Zayn's one night stand ends up being his new assistant, and Zayn can't stop thinking about him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take Me Higher

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alnima](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alnima/gifts).



> I went with your fourth prompt. I hope you enjoy this. It was fun to write, something different and lighthearted. All your prompts were amazing! Title from Kygo's "Firestone."

“Let’s go out tonight. I promise it’ll be fine. No shit shows. Scout’s honor!”

Niall Horan is an absolute liar. Zayn Malik can testify to that.

He really should blame himself for once again believing Niall. Niall Horan is incapable of just having a normal night out. Zayn knows this. They met each other freshman year in college when they were paired together to share a dorm. He lived with the guy for all of his collegiate career and then some since his father didn’t quite trust him to live on his own when he first entered the company. “Someone to keep you in check.” 

Niall Horan was incapable of keeping anyone in check.

The night was a blur like usual.

They had stopped on Washington Avenue and bar hopped. That was fine. Zayn could get down with that. Then Niall suggested they hit Midtown, and he knew he should have stopped his former roommate right then and there. But, unfortunately, Louis was also accompanying them, and when you put Louis and Niall together it was game over. 

So, it was Zayn’s driver dropping them off on Bagsby where they walked through crowds of college kids and late twenty-somethings trying to get into any overcrowded bar. Then it was them taking too many shots and downing too many jaeger and Red Bulls at _Dogwood_ , being dragged to the annoying ruckus that is _Sage County_ for more shots and a round of corn hole for Louis and Niall, and then finally to the shit show that was _Gaslamp_ because Louis just had to fucking dance. 

It’s where he met the tall, curly haired guy sending him too many coy smirks and flashing hooded lids. So, he took the shot Niall handed him, stumbled to his feet, and took the initiative and walked over to where the guy was dancing.

“Hey,” Zayn shouts over the loud music. His smirk deepens when the guy turns around and pushes his ass into his front, and he wraps an arm around to keep him there.

“You finally came over,” he slurs. “I’m Harry.”

“Zayn.”

Harry turns around and wraps his arms loosely around Zayn’s neck and leans down. Zayn’s feeling the alcohol, can feel it swishing around in his veins, can feel it in the slight headache he has already starting, and can feel it in the way his body is thrumming with want for this guy he’s just met.

“Wanna go back to mine?” Harry whispers in his ear, and Zayn immediately nods his head.

No chase, no playing hard to get. He can do this. One night stand. He’s done this before. This’ll be fine. He reassures himself this, the alcohol reassures him this, and Harry reassures him when he hands onto his shoulder and whispers how hot he thinks Zayn is as Zayn drags him through the crowd and down the stairs.

Kane is already outside waiting by the Turkish food truck that’s always parked in front of the bars on this street, and he spots Zayn when he stumbles out of the bar with Harry hanging onto him.

“Mr. Malik, here, let me help,” Kane says, and Harry starts laughing.

“Mr .Malik! So formal!”

 

Zayn starts laughing too. He doesn’t know, but he joins in, his face pressed against Harry’s neck now.

“That’s my name!”

“It sounds familiar,” Harry tells him.

Zayn shrugs and slides into the car and Harry follows. Once Kane shuts the door, Harry immediately slides to floor of the car. Zayn thanks the universe he’s well off enough to afford a driver and a car with a partition, because Harry is looking at him with flushed cheeks and wet lips between his legs, and it’s enough to make him come there on the spot.

“Maybe we should wait until we’re back at my place,” Zayn mumbles as Harry unbuckles his belt and throws it on the floor beside him.

“Why?” Harry asks as he leans in to nose the bulge that’s quickly growing in Zayn’s pants.

“S-Safety,” Zayn answers when Harry pulls the zipper down.

Harry flashes him a grin and takes out his cock. “Nonsense.”

He licks a bold stripe down his palm and then gets his hand on Zayn. Zayn pushes the toe of his shoe against the floor when he feels Harry’s warm breath on him a moment later. He runs his teeth down Zayn’s cock, and Zayn reaches for a handful of Harry’s hair.

“Yes,” Harry moans when Zayn tugs his hair, and then he’s taking a deep breath and opening his mouth to take in Zayn.

“Fuck,” Zayn groans. 

Harry’s mouth is warm and wet, and he slides his tongue against his cock just right before hallowing out his cheeks and taking him in more, sucking as he goes. He grabs Harry’s face with his other hand and presses his thumb and feels it against himself in Harry’s mouth, causing both of them to groan. He’s glad at this point that Niall dragged him out for the night. He wouldn’t be having one of the best blowjobs he’s ever had otherwise and with someone as hot and bold as this Harry guy. It’s been so long, since his last breakup, and he feels himself about to come when Harry pulls off. His lips are a deeper shade of pink than before, bigger too, and wet, and Zayn groans and pulls him up until their teeth are clashing in a messy, wet kiss that’s all tongue and teeth with no direction or rhythm. It’s the type of kiss you can only get when you’re drunk or so engrossed with the other person you can’t seem to guide either of yourselves.

He doesn’t even notice the car’s stopped until Kane is pounding on the window beside his head. Zayn goes to pull away but Harry whines and grabs his face to pull him back into the kiss, nipping his bottom lip in retaliation.

“Mr. Malik, we’re here.”

Harry pushes his palm against Zayn’s dick again, and Zayn’s hips stutter.

“C’mon,” Zayn groans when he pulls away.

“Mmm, okay, Mr. Malik,” Harry whispers in his ear with amusement. He runs his teeth down Zayn’s jaw and bites his chin before pulling away.

Zayn quickly tucks his dick back into his jeans but doesn’t bother buttoning it up. He just pulls his shirt down, grabs Harry’s hand and opens the door. His motor skills are still off, so Kane catches him when he falls out of the car, causing Harry to giggle behind him.

“Are you good, Mr. Malik?” Kane asks when Zayn’s standing upright again. At least what he thinks is upright.

“‘M fine, ‘m fine,” he says trying to swat away his driver. He’s incredibly turned on, Harry has taken it upon himself to latch his lips onto the back of neck, and he feels like his dick is going to explode if he doesn’t come soon.

“Mr. Malik is so good,” Harry giggles behind him.

Zayn catches Kane rolling his eyes, but he lets go after he’s walked them through Zayn’s apartment building and into the elevators.

“I’ll be here early in the morning, Mr. Malik. Your father wouldn’t want you to miss work,” Kane says once he leans forward and presses the button for the floor Zayn’s apartment on.

“Yeah, yeah,” Zayn murmurs. He’s too busy with Harry edging him into the corner of the lift.

The door shuts and the lift starts to head up just as Harry presses Zayn against the mirror at the back of the lift, his hands gripping his hips firmly as his lips capture Zayn’s once more. Zayn slips a hand into the back of Harry’s jeans and Harry groans into his mouth.

“What’re you going to do to me, Mr. Malik?” Harry slurs.

Zayn laughs. Mr. Malik. It’s all so ridiculous and hot at the same time, and he’s so drunk. He doesn’t reply, pulls Harry back into a kiss until the elevator doors open and they’re in Zayn’s apartment.

“Fuck. This is really nice,” Harry says when Zayn’s leading them towards his bed. He pulls away from Zayn’s hand walks to the floor to ceiling windows that makeup one wall of Zayn’s bedroom.

Zayn watches him. He thinks Harry looks beautiful lit up against the city lights, all limbs and slender waist. He unbuttons his shirt as he watches Harry press his hand against the window and look down. Once he’s finished undressing, he joins Harry, letting him know his presence by pressing a firm hand on his waist.

“It’s nice, I guess,” Zayn says. Harry turns to look at him with an incredulous look.

“It’s fucking amazing,” he corrects Zayn.

Zayn shrugs then brings his other hand to Harry’s hip and takes a step closer. “You know what’d be amazing?”

Harry smirks and leans down, his breath mixing in with Zayn’s now. “What?”

He reaches for Harry’s jeans instead of answering him and unbuttons his jeans. Harry’s breath stutters when Zayn pulls his jeans and briefs down. Harry’s already removing his shirt when Zayn starts backing him towards the bed. He sits down and tugs Zayn by his boxers until his crotch is in Harry’s face.

“I think I might like this view, too,” he says with a cheeky tone, and then he winks at Zayn, tongue poking out the side of his smirk.

Zayn laughs and slips his hands into Harry’s hair. “Me too.”  
Harry’s pulling Zayn’s boxers next before he brings his hips forward and gets his mouth back onto him. Zayn groans and tries not to hunch over. He grabs Harry’s face instead and looks down to watch Harry bob up and down on his dick, causing him to bury his toes into the carpet.

“Fuck, I’m gonna come,” he gets out between clenched teeth.

Harry pulls off with wet smack, and looks up at him, and Zayn wishes he could take a picture of that moment. It’s too good.

“Do you have lube?” he asks. His voice is slightly wrecked. It makes Zayn tighten his grip on his face.

“Yeah. Side table,” he chokes out, and then Harry’s slipping away from, scooting backwards until he’s sitting against the fucking millions of decorative pillow his mother insists he have. He reaches for the lube in the side table and a condom, tossing the condom down beside him.

“Watch me,” Harry says and lays down on the bed only to spread his legs wide open.

Zayn sits down on the edge of the bed and watches as Harry uncaps the lube and gets his fingers wet before dragging them down to his rim. He groans when he circles a finger around himself, and Zayn squeezes his own thighs shut. He doesn’t know how he’s doing this drunk, but it’s hot, and Zayn just wants to help him, slide his own fingers inside alongside Harry’s. 

Once Harry’s flushed with a slight sheen to his skin from fucking himself slowly and three fingers deep, he groans Zayn’s name out loudly, kicking him with his foot.

“C’mon, c’mon. I’m ready.”

Zayn climbs onto the bed immediately and reaches for the lube and condom. He pulls on himself a few times then slips the condom on. Harry slides his wet hands over Zayn and then spreads his legs wider so Zayn can get between them.

“Fuck,” Zayn groans when he starts pushing into Harry. He almost comes right then, but he holds off, making a choked nose when Harry wraps his legs around his waist and starts pushing his heels into Zayn’s ass.

“More,” Harry gasps. “Come on.”

Zayn nods his head, takes a sharp breath through his nose, and thrusts harder. He watches himself disappear into Harry over and over again and groans. It’s quick after that. All pants, the sound of skin on skin, and Harry’s small whines. Zayn comes just as Harry drags his nails down his back, and Harry follows with a loud moan.

Zayn doesn’t remember much after that.

–––––

“Your father is going to kill me if you’re not at the office on time.”

Zayn groans when sunlight hits his face. He tries to cover his face with his sheets, but Kane rips them off him, and he feels the draft in his room smack his bare skin.

“Tell him I’m sick,” Zayn says. His head is pounding, and his body feels heavy with exhaustion. He’s definitely not getting out of bed today.

“No can do. You have those round of interviews for a new assistant, remember? Should have remembered that before you went out last night.”

“It’s all Niall’s fault,” Zayn groans as Kane pulls him out of bed. His body hits the carpet with a loud thud, but he still manages to lean against the edge of the bed and close his eyes. “I need sleep.”

“Get in the shower. I’ll go get you some coffee. Mr. Horan said he’s already at the office and will handle the first few interviews for you.”

“That bastard,” Zayn mumbles as Kane starts tugging on his arm. “I’m up, I’m up. Five minutes.”

“How your father trusts you with the company is beyond me.”

Zayn opens one eye to glare at Kane as he helps him towards his bathroom.

“Your faith in me is reassuring.”

Kane rolls his eyes and turns the shower on. “Yeah, yeah. Get in.”

It’s when he hears the shower running that he remembers the guy he brought home last night. His face immediately flushes as he remembers the sex from last night.

“Fuck,” he groans. “Where’s the guys then? Whatever is name was?”

“The guy from last night? Wasn’t here when I got here,” Kane replies. He looks half relieved and half sympathetic.

Zayn frowns. The guy had been hot. They were compatible. He could have seen something past their one night happen. Maybe lunch. Maybe a date. Who knows. He feels a small pang of disappointment.

“Come one. You have work, sir,” Kane reminds him.

Zayn sighs and nods his head.

–––––

“Good morning, Zayn!”

Zayn flips Niall off as he steps into his office. He throws his bag onto his desk and sinks into his chair. He keeps his sunglasses on. It’s too bright, and he knows he has bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep he got. The coffee Kane got for him helped, but not much. He had to swallow Advil before he stepped out of his car and then dodged his dad and the other board members he saw entering a meeting room.

“I hate you. You know that?” Zayn says. He throws a fountain pen at Niall who just gleefully laughs instead.

“You could never. Heard you had a fun night.” He wiggles his eyebrows, and Zayn wishes he had more pens to throw at him. 

“My head hurts. I was late to work. And now I have to work to catch up on. All because of you,” Zayn hisses.

Niall rolls his eyes and waves his hand at him. “It’ll be fine. You needed that night out. How long has it been since you boned someone? Hmm?”  
Zayn grunts and looks away from Niall. There’s a stack of papers sitting on his desk and he reaches for them. They’re the resumes of people he scheduled to be interviewed for today, but he’s so not feeling up to it. Niall looks over at the papers and sits on the edge of Zayn’s desk.

“Don’t worry ‘bout those. I found the perfect person for you,” he says.

Zayn eyes him before shaking his head. “Already? You haven’t even gotten half the people.”

Niall shrugs. “This guy is perfect. More than qualified for the job. He got good recommendations too.”

Zayn’s too exhausted, and he’s still upset he let the hot guy from last night leave without a goodbye, so he doesn’t fight Niall. If he’s found the perfect person for the job then fine. 

“Trust me, Zayn,” Niall says.

–––––

Zayn should have never trusted Niall.

Not now. Not ever.

It’s why he’s currently hiding in the bathrooms.

When he had woken up this morning he hadn’t thought much about the day. He went through his normal routine. Shower. Feed his lizard and his cat. Text his mom he’ll be there for dinner tonight. Eat toast and drink coffee as he catches up on the news. Get ready. Go to the office. All routine. Nothing out of the ordinary.

He hadn’t been expecting to see his one night stand waiting outside his office in a nicely fitted suit looking just as good as he did the night before.

Zayn had had a mild heart attack before hooking a left and slipping into the bathrooms. He doesn’t understand what’s going on. Why the guy is outside his office. Did he forget something at Zayn’s? His heart almost drops when he thinks if the guy might be a client.

He takes in a few deep breaths before pulling himself together and stepping back into the hallway. He can do this. No big deal. He owns this company alongside his father. People fear him, right? 

“Can I help you?”

The guy’s head snaps up and he watches a look of horror wash over his face.

“Z-Zayn?”

“Um. Yeah,” he answers.

Harry visibly swallows before wiping his hands down on his pants. “You’re Mr. Malik then.”

“Yeah,” Zayn lamely answers.

Harry bites his lips and nods. He lets out a pathetic laugh next. “This would happen.”

“What would happen?” Zayn asks.

“Your coworker didn’t tell you?”

Zayn’s confused now. “Who?”

“Mr. Horan. He hired me to be your new assistant.”

Zayn swears his heart actually stops in that moment. Of course the universe would make this happen. Only to him. He wants to groan at his misfortune.

“You’re my new assistant?” 

Harry smiles bashfully. “I guess. I mean, yes, sir.”

Zayn wants to both roll his eyes and smile at the ‘sir,’ but he suppresses both. Instead, he nods his head, clears his throat, finds some sort of courage, pushes away the awkwardness he’s feeling, and opens the door to his office.

“This way...”

“Harry. Harry Styles.”

Harry’s tone is off when he answers, so when Zayn turns to look at him, he flashes him a soft smile. He remembers too, he wants to shout, but he doesn’t. Not here. Not in this professional setting where he’s the boss and Harry’s his employee.

“Mr. Styles. Please take a seat,” he says waving his hand at the leather armchairs in front of his desk. He puts his briefcase on top and hitches his pants him before taking a seat himself.

Before he can start off by saying what he wants, Harry starts talking, catching him by surprise as he starts fidgeting in his seat.

“I know it might be awkward and strange me having to work for you after...you know, but, I’m a good worker. I’ll do every task you assign me with vigor. I mean it. You’re my boss, Mr. Malik, and I am, in this case, sorry for the way we first met, but I am willing to momentarily forget about it so we go about this in a professional manner. Please don’t consider letting me go because of our chance encounter.”

Zayn stares at him with awe and mild surprise. Harry’s taken the words out of his mouth more or less. He looks over the man who, despite his bold words, looks unconfident and keeps messing with his fingers. Professional, Zayn reminds himself when he remembers just what those fingers were doing to himself the other night. He clears his throat and nods.

“I don’t see why we can’t look past our, erm, history,” Zayn finally answers. He ignores the slight pang of disappointment he feels, but he needs to forget about Harry in that way. He needs to reshape and mold Harry in his mind as his assistant, his right hand, his employee.

“Thank you,” Harry replies with a shy smile. He still looks beautiful and bright sober and under the harsh lights of Zayn’s office. It makes Zayn smile in return.

“Welcome aboard, Mr. Styles.”

–––––

Zayn figures Harry working for him will be easy.

He’s completely wrong. 

Harry is an excellent assistant and professional worker. He makes sure Zayn’s notes are on his desk each morning, the papers filed the way Zayn likes them, reminds Zayn of all the appointments and meetings he has coming up, helps him decipher through legal and business jargon on the busiest days, screens even the most annoying of calls, and keeps Zayn’s head swimming above ground. He goes above and beyond by making sure Zayn eats when he forgets to, helps him stress less by showing up with his favorite coffee from the place a few blocks away, and is well rested. Zayn’s mom thinks Harry is heaven sent. Zayn can agree.

Harry is amazing.

Zayn’s completely annoyed with himself. The attraction he felt towards Harry’s blossomed into a harboring crush that he just can’t get rid of. He keeps filing away little things about Harry—the way he looks in the morning in the car, ready to tackle the day with his organizer in his lap and his hand reaching towards Zayn with his first coffee of the day. The smile he has reserved for Zayn when it’s just them two going over papers in his office and trying not to breakdown from stress. The tilt to his voice when he greets Zayn. The friendliness he has with other coworkers, especially Niall who he’s gotten close to from what his best friend tells him. The sleepy look he gets when Zayn finally sends him home after a long day, eyes slightly puffy and hazy and a challenging pout because he doesn’t want to leave Zayn alone in the office without any help.

Zayn wants more.

He wants to know how Harry looks early in the morning. Is he the type to hit the ground running with wide eyes and a smile or does he wake up in small increments with half-lidded eyes and tiny groans and soft smiles? What’s his favorite restaurant to eat at and why? Why does he wear the rusted watch on his left hand every day? Would he enjoy running through the park before dinner like Zayn does? Does he love animals too? Who is his favorite painter? The questions are endless, and Zayn’s had it with himself.

Harry is just so brilliant and kind and lovely, and Zayn wishes this could maybe be something more. He wants that chance. Maybe they fit well together outside of work. Not just sexually. But that rare intimacy between two people that people go lifetimes without finding. He wants it, has his body jumping with want each time Harry flashes him a smile or asks him about his day or tells him about the weird salad he had for the other day. He’s aching with curiosity and want, and it’s driving him crazy,

Niall, for the most part, is beyond amused.

“This is great,” he laughs sitting on top of Zayn’s desk. Zayn’s close to snapping at him for messing up the stack of papers he had neatly piled before Niall decide to shove them to the side.

“I’m glad you find my life amusing,” Zayn hisses.

“Like, this shit doesn’t happen in real life. I can’t believe it,” Niall continues with a grin. “It’s amazing. So rom-com with a dash of drama. I say you go for it. You already know you’re both great in bed together. Harry is a gem, really, amazing guy. You’re not too bad, but Harry gets along with you. Could say he even likes you from all those shy smiles he sends you in meetings—”

“Niall—”

“I’m just saying,” Niall says over Zayn. “This could be the start of something really special.”

Niall tries to keep a straight face when he says that, but he ends up bursting out in loud laughter and slapping his own thigh.

“God! That was awful. Look, I say, fuck it. If you want to see where this could head, do it. If you don’t, don’t do it. It’s up to you Zayn. I don’t think Harry would disagree.”

Zayn groans. Harry wouldn’t. He thinks. Not with the fond looks and cheery tone he always has around Zayn. Not with how he too notices all the little things about Zayn, like his favorite radio station, the way he likes his coffee, extra cream and honey, and how his mother and cat are his two favorite souls in the world. Not with how determined he is in helping Zayn night and day, on and off the clock, at events and meetings and boring dinners, and in the office with even more boring paperwork and lousy board members who just sit and complain.

“It’d be highly unprofessional.”

“But it could be highly satisfying, eh?”

Niall wiggles his eyebrows and Zayn throws his pen at him with a scowl. He feels a blush creep up his neck when there’s a flash of heat in his belly at the memory of Harry coming all sweaty and blushing on top of his crumpled sheets.

“I see what’s going on in there. Dirty bastard,” Niall chuckles. 

Zayn kicks him out of the office and asks Harry to ban him from coming inside for the remainder of the day.

––––––

It’s one of those days Zayn has to take his work home with him, and he’s not happy whatsoever.

His father asked him to look over a contract that was to be signed the next morning and highlight any necessary changes there needs to be and to make sure the client’s clauses and agreements were listed. He couldn’t say no, so he was now stuck with a giant stack of papers on Friday night because some posh client just had to meet on the weekend to sign.

Zayn eyes the papers on his coffee tables and lets out another groan and he takes a sip of the wine he’s just poured. It looks disgusting. Especially when all he wanted was to unwind after a long week with a bottle of wine, his cat, and his instant queue. That’s out of the window now.

He feels his cat weave around his calves and smiles when he looks down. “No date night tonight, Nala. Raincheck?”

His cat meows, butting her head against Zayn for attention, and he let’s himself spare a few seconds to crouch down and rub her head. He caught up petting his cat when the buzzer goes off.

Zayn’s thinking who would show up on a Friday night to his apartment when he opens the door and finds Harry standing outside, flushed from the heat outside, and carrying a recyclable grocery bag.

“Harry?”

“Hello, Mr. Malik—”

“Zayn, Harry. How many times do I have to tell you?” Zayn jokes with a smile.

Harry blushes and smiles. “Sorry. Hello, Zayn.”

“What’re you doing here?” Zayn blurts out. He watches Harry’s smile drop a little and feels a pang of guilt. “I mean, like, it’s nice seeing you here. But it’s Friday night and all...”

Harry’s smile lifts back up as he nods. “I thought I could help you. With the contract. It’s unfortunate you have to read all of that boring stuff by yourself.”

Zayn laughs. He hopes it covers his own blush. “Don’t you have funner things to do? I wouldn’t want your night to be ruined by legal jargon.”

Harry grins and shakes his head. “I don’t mind helping you. I like working with you.”

Zayn clears his throat and steps aside to let Harry in.

“I thought I’d bring some snacks over too. Got you your favorite. White cheddar popcorn,” Harry says and Zayn feels another swoop of fond sweep over him.

“Thank you,” he says and touches the small of Harry’s back. He feels Harry push back into his touch.

Harry hasn’t been in Zayn’s apartment since that one night. He usually waits in the car for Zayn in the morning when he’s picked up. So watching him once more examine his apartment with a grin and excited shine in his eyes makes Zayn stumble a little bit in his step and swell up with pride.

“You’re apartment is so cool,” Harry comments. He’s blushing when Zayn turns to look at him, and he knows Harry’s thinking of that night too. How they both might have looked with excited grins and sweaty faces ready to finally touch the other.

“Thank you,” Zayn tells him and pulls away to lead Harry towards the couch. “I set up everything here.”

“Oh! Okay, yeah. Perfect,” Harry quickly says and makes his way over. 

He begins to unpack his things, and it looks so natural and fitting, like he’s meant to be unpacking in Zayn’s apartment after a long day to spend the rest of the night relaxing with Zayn. Unfortunately, they have over a hundred pages of paperwork to get through, so Zayn pulls himself from the scene he’s created in his head to split the work in half.

Zayn’s only fifty pages in when he realizes he hasn’t been really focusing on his work. He’s been watching Harry from across the coffee table the entire time with a fond look. Harry’s sitting cross legged, highlighter poised over a stack of papers, and a look of determination on his face. He randomly bites his bottom lip when something bothers him, and Zayn finds it endearing and perfect. He makes small sounds when he finds something off in the work before a smile appears and he leans in to correct it. He has his highlighters color coded and keeps changing them when a different mistake appears.

When he catches Zayn staring he blushes and caps his highlighter.

“What’s up?” he asks with a nod at Zayn’s papers. “Something off?”

“No,” Zayn answers with his own blush at being caught. “Just got bored.”

Harry grins. “It’s pretty dry.”

Zayn laughs and leans forward to rest on the table.

“I am sorry you have to spend your Friday night like this.”

Harry shrugs. “I would rather be here with you doing this than going out anyway.”

Zayn raises his eyebrow at that. “Really? I fail to believe that. Who would want to spend their night looking at boring work with an old fart like me?”

Harry rolls his eyes. “You’re not old, Zayn. And, I don’t mind being here with you. Really,” he says. He’s blushing even more now, the color creeping down to his collar, and Zayn bites his lips. He really wants Harry. He really likes him.

“You’re too nice,” he mumbles and looks away.

Harry clears his throat and Zayn looks back over at him to see him staring right back, a little unsure, but with that determined look in his eyes Zayn’s so fond of.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“If you weren’t my boss, do you think we would have went somewhere after that night?”

“You mean if you hadn’t left that morning before I could wake up?” Zayn teases as his pulse stutters.

Harry smiles sheepishly. “My interview was that morning. I didn’t really want to leave. Did you know you pout in your sleep? It’s cute.”

Zayn’s sure his face is on fire right now. He can feel it tingling because of the heat in his cheeks.

“I wish I knew what you looked like right before you wake up,” he says softly catching Harry in surprise.

“I wish I knew you too,” Harry replies. “Zayn?”

“Yeah?”

“I really like you,” Harry says softly. “I’m sorry. I know I said I would be professional. But that was before we got to know each other more. You’re really amazing, you know that?”

Zayn clenches his fists in his lap. “Harry–”

“I know I’m being unprofessional. You’ll probably fire me. But I had to say it. I really like you. I would really like to take you out on a date. Cook for you. Something. If you’ll let me.”

Zayn watches him with a fond smile. Harry looks nervous but sure, so Zayn leans over the coffee table and grabs his face gently between his hands. Harry’s breath catches, and Zayn grins, lowers his eyes to watch Harry’s lips tremble slightly before he opens them up and his teeth peek out.

“I’d let you cook for me and take me out and date me. Everything in between. If you’d let me do the same,” Zayn whispers. Harry nods his head in Zayn’s hand, his breaths hitting Zayn’s own lips.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Zayn leans in then and kisses him, and it feels good, like he’s coming home after a long day, like Harry and him have so much to look forward to, like this could be the start of something special.

So he doesn’t think much. Decides they can deal with things as they come. Right now this is where he’s supposed to be. 

With Harry. Starting something new.


End file.
